re... : Compulsory Speech and Dram 31/01/2011 16:56 - Money Matters ----------------------------------- What? This is madness, it is compulsory? But you have to pay for it. I think compulsory speech and drama is a great idea to balance out more academic subjects, but forcing parents to pay that money for it...I am sure this cannot be legal.
re... : Compulsory Speech and Dram 20/01/2011 10:55 - Money Matters ----------------------------------- Thanks for your comments Mairead. I would like to add that when I first tried to opt out of the Speech lesson I was told by the Principal that by withdrawing from the class I would be "jeopardizing" the program for all the other pupils in the school and that it would also "come against" my daughter for her Holy Communion. The Speech and Drama teacher also organizes the Christmas Pageant which according to the school "is such a huge undertaking that it can only happen every two years". I explained to the Principal that I couldn´t see any truth in her claims and that I still did not want to contribute financially to the Speech lessons and I didn´t want my daughter to be involved in the program. Without consulting with me the school arranged that my daughter would remain in the classroom while the Speech class was taking place and that she would be given a library book to read for the duration of the lesson. The class teacher then leaves the class room leaving my daughter (age 7) reading the library book unsupervised. Later at a parent/teacher meeting the class teacher told me that she was told by the Speech teacher that my child was raising her hand during the Speech class but that the Speech teacher couldn´t engage with her because I had opted out of the program. I said "do you mean to tell me that the speech teacher blanks the child ?" the class teacher said that she couldn´t say exactly as she herself wouldn´t be in the class room but assured me that my daughter wouldn´t really notice as there were 27 other little girls in the classroom. Hasn´t the class teacher an obligation to remain in the classroom? How on earth could she agree to swan off out of the class room and leave the child in a no-man´s land?? Shouldn´t the class teachers be able to prepare the girls for the holy communion themselves? Why are Christmas plays/pageants considered a huge undertaking and shouldn´t primary teachers be able to tackle a school play without a hired Speech teacher?
re : Compulsory Speech and Dram 19/01/2011 17:15 - Money Matters ----------------------------------- I know how you´re feeling. The school my daughters attend have Speech and Drama during school hours also. We are charged 20e per child per term exams are charged at 10e per child.. The woman who conducts the classes also runs private classes in the school. I´m in the same situation as yourself no provision is made by the school to allow children not participating to do other activities. I wouldn´t mind but the Speech and Drama teacher has most of the children terrified of her, she´s not exactly child friendly. i don´t think parents should be charged if the classes are conducted during school hours, I´ve never been charged for Irish class or maths so why charge for Speech and Drama!
Compulsory Speech and Dram 19/01/2011 16:04 - Money Matters (Locality: Cork) ----------------------------------- My daughter attends a school in Cork city where Speech and Drama is a compulsory unit once a week during the school day.Parents are obliged to pay for the Speech and Drama lessons and there are no provisions in place for parents who do not for personal reasons or otherwise want their children to participate in the Speech and Drama . It is noteworthy that the class teacher leaves the class room for the duration of the Speech and Drama lesson. The Speech program is justified by the Principal by a claim that the in house lessons cost a mere 60 cent per child per 20 minute lesson. With an average of 30 students in the class this amounts to a total of E54 per hour. Nice work if you can get it. In my particular case my daughter attends private Speech and Drama classes and I do not want to pay for additional Speech classes during the school day. It is unacceptable in my view that State schools are currently charging parents for extra-curricular subjects during the school day and that full time class teachers can absent themselves for 20/30 minutes from the classroom. Looking forward to feedback on this.
